Ratings System

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

As I’m gradually making my
way through Elin Hilderbrand’s books, one thing is for certain. Because her novels are set on Nantucket, her
current home, the beautiful setting is almost always as integral a part of her books
as the main characters are. The Island is set on nearby Tuckernuck,
the ultra-exclusive, privately owned island with no shops or restaurants to
speak of. In fact, the characters
summering there need to give a grocery list to their caretaker, who goes back
and forth from Nantucket. While I
probably will never see Tuckernuck’s light of day, Nantucket is definitely on
my must-do list.

The Island
revolves around four women, each harboring secrets and/or pain. Chess has just cancelled her wedding to a guy
deemed perfect because she’s in love with his brother. That “perfect guy” is soon found dead, but
what are the circumstances surrounding it?
Tate, Chess’s sister, is trying to find a life outside of work. Birdie, their mother, is trying to pick up
the pieces of her life after her divorce, while her sister, India, is still
coming to terms with her artist husband’s suicide. The four converge on Tuckernuck for a month’s
respite, with only themselves and their caretaker, Barrett, for company. The ins and outs of their day, filled with
drama after drama (no surprise), then ensue.

The Island
is the perfect summer read, as there’s really not much substance to it. As opposed to Hilderbrand’s later novels, Summerland and Silver Girl, I wasn’t that enthralled with any of the
characters. In fact, some attempts at
garnering sympathy went out the window because the characters just weren’t that
likeable. However, Hilderbrand has a
huge fan base for a reason. Even her breeziest
of books are still fun and great to take on vacation.